Abbie Cornish doth protest too much?

By Stone Martindale Nov 2, 2006, 21:13 GMT

Australian actress Abbie Cornish smiles and waves as she attends a photocall for her new film \'Candy\' at the 56th International Film Festival in Berlin, Wednesday, 15 February 2006. \'Candy\' runs in competition at this year\'s film festival. EPA/JAN WOITAS

Aussie actress Abbie Cornish has pish poshed reports that she was the catalyst in  the very public breakup of Hollywood power couple Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe.

The Australian reports the blonde 24-year-old from New South Wale's Hunter Valley has been tried and convicted in voracious American tabloids of getting intimate on set with Phillippe on their new movie, Stop Loss.

Cornish's publicist has gone into denial mode and dismissed everything as rubbish.

"It's not true," Cornish's representative told America's Us magazine.

"They are co-stars and that is it."

Us Weekly quoted a witness who allegedly spotted Phillippe and a woman who describe Cornish to a "t" kissing at a sushi restaurant in Austin, Texas, where the film was lensed.

Other tabloid reports allege Witherspoon severed ties to Ryan after she discovered damning messages Phillippe had written to Cornish on his BlackBerry.

"Ryan was caught red-handed, a source told tabloid The National Enquirer.

"All he could say was he didn't mean what he'd written."

The media storm is a Hollywood baptism of fire for Cornish, who grew up with her parents and four siblings on a farm in the Hunter Valley town of Lochinvar.

The Australian reports that Cornish is a well-known in Australia for performances in local films Somersault and Candy.

Witherspoon, 30, and Phillippe, 32, who have two children, Ava, 7, and Deacon, 3, announced this week they had split after seven years of marriage.

"We are saddened to announce that Reese and Ryan have decided to formally separate," publicist Nanci Ryder said in a statement issued by Witherspoon and Phillippe.

"They remain committed to their family and we ask that you please respect their privacy and the safety of their children at this time."

Witherspoon is a big earner, with hits including Legally Blonde and this year's Oscar-winning performance in Walk the Line.

Phillippe has worked in Witherspoon's shadow, opting for independent films, although he was the lead in Clint Eastwood's new film, Flags of Our Fathers.

TMZ reports that no pre-nup exists for the couple.